ELECTRIFY AMERICA'S 350KW SITE UPGRADES WITH BALANCED DC FAST CHARGING

EV Channels Review

This video provides a follow-up assessment of Electrify America's upgraded 350kW charging site in Chicopee, Massachusetts, approximately one month after its initial activation. The reviewer, Steve, reports a largely positive experience, successfully initiating a charge on all four tested stations on the first attempt, a significant improvement over previous issues. He highlights the improved hardware, better cable management, and the general reliability of the new equipment. However, the video also touches on the new 'balanced DC fast charging' feature, which shares power between stations, potentially limiting peak rates if multiple vehicles are charging simultaneously. While the reviewer experienced good speeds when charging alone, he notes that the system might reduce power when another vehicle connects. The reviewer also observed that the Hyundai IONIQ 5's battery preconditioning feature, which could improve charging speeds, was not yet active for US users, leading to slightly lower initial charge rates. Despite these nuances and some reported difficulties for other users, the overall verdict is that the upgraded stations are functional and provide a charge, though potential users should be aware of power-sharing limitations and the need for vehicle-specific charging behaviors.